My vintage Coleman liquid fuel stove collection

Well, I have 5 liquid fuel Coleman stoves now. I don't know why I have so many, but once I bought one, I just couldn't stop myself. Check out this LINK to the pictures of what I have as of the time of this writing. I have tried lighting any of them as of yet. I would like to take some time and clean them up first. I know one of them, I had removed the cover over the burner rings and it was missing one of the solid rings, so I will have to source some of those.

1951 -> 426A 3 burner

01/1962 -> 4M 2 burner

01/1973 -> 444B 2 burner

01/1984 -> 431 2 burner

04/1984 -> 431 2 burner

 

Hi Johnathan. Welcome to CCS.The 444 that I have has done a lot of camp cooking. I never worried about looks and it never complained . Good luck with your stoves

 

Nice collection.

 

I wanted to mention that I've also got a 1960's Sear Robuck three burner stove made by Coleman coming next week.

 

Thanks! I just mainly want to clean up some of the rust a little bit, that is the big thing. Question, is there a way to stop all the discolouration and what I am guessing is a hotspot where the generator goes thru the metal case?

Thank you

 

Hot spot, just avoid large pots/pans AND don't have stove burning at full throttle for long.

Discolouration just shows the love!!!!

Wait, did I understand you?? You haven't lit them??

 

Nope I haven't lit them yet. Just picked them up from the post office today and unpacked them. Need to get a funnel for fuel still. One that I didn't put in the picture in one I bought a couple weeks ago, which is a brand new Coleman 425. It was my first one that I bought.

I wish someone would of told me how addictive this is. It all started with the 425 that I bought at Canadian Tire..... I would like to get a couple more Coleman propane stoves still. I had found a really nice 3 burner one but was way outbid on it right at the very end, but it seems to be more Liquid fuel stoves on eBay in Canada then the propane ones. I'd buy from US sellers, but shipping is like C$100+ for these things and isn't worth it.

 

Hi Johnathan
Is the date for your 4M located on the tank tabs or elsewhere on the stove?
I've got to ask if the tank is steel? (magnet will stick)

Cheers
Barrett

 

I just had a look and there is no date located on the fuel tank or on the stove itself. I was just going by the eBay listing. And I tried a magnet on the tank and it is a steel tank.

 

Well, I got the 4M lit this morning. There was some old fuel left in the tank so I thought what the heck. After not being able to build pressure, found the fuel cap, which is a 2-piece wasn't holding a seal anymore and the pressure was leaking out of it, I grabbed one of the single piece fuel caps off another tank and it held pressure. I was able to get it lit. I actually found the whole procedure to lighting very easy. One thing I did notice though, after I shut the second burner off and put a bit more pressure into the tank was that the flame was not a nice constant flame, it seemed to fluctuate. Maybe it was because the fuel is old? I had it on wide open. It does look like it simmers pretty good though. It did feel good to get it to light the first time (after I had tank pressure) though!

 

Thank you @Johnathan re the dates, IIRC Coleman Canada started dating stoves in 1963 (experts can correct me) usually on the underside of the tank tabs, though some cases have a date stamp on their bottom base too.
You have the same cast steel burners as my latest 4M, though mine came with an Everdur tank, as did all my #4's.
You say your flame fluctuated after you shutdown the auxiliary and added pressure, looking at the pic, it looks possibly over pressured, pushing the flame away from the burner rings.
Usually need to add some pressure once lighting lever is rotated to down burn position to make up for air used during heat up, or when opening and settling auxiliary, but once auxiliary is closed there's usually plenty of pressure to operate main burner at full flow without adding more for quite a while if at all.

Cheers
Barrett

 

@Barrett my plan is to get some of those fuel pressure gauge caps so I can see how much pressure I have in the tanks so I am not putting to much pressure in as I don't have any practice in knowing how much pressure I should have in the tanks. Want to get them for my stove's and my 3 liquid fuel Coleman lanterns as well

 

@Johnathan fair call if you can get them and they make it easier for you, and may be interesting to see where each stove is happy pressure wise, as all mine seem to like a slightly different amount for both light/warm up and running.
I generally start with 20-30 pumps on the big tanks for light up, and then add another 10+ once lever is down and flame has settled into burn, then a few to maybe 10 more for auxiliary if I'm running them both high.
But as I say all my stoves including singles have their quirks and preferred methods lol

Cheers
Barrett

 

@Johnathan
Welcome
Great collection you have there. Regarding discoloring - I wonder if a thin piece of metal (beer can?) cut to fit would minimize the discoloring?

Regarding addiction - forget about it, you’re already past saving now ;-))

 

@Johnathan, none of us really.know what or why it happened, then there were two, then three then....

you seem to have more than three though.

It's fun isn't it.

 

DO NOT leave them unattended, they breed like rabbits!!!!

 

Here is a size comparison of my collection. It is interesting how they made at least 3 different models in the same size. I personally prefer the size of the 444B stove over the smaller ones. As well, the two 431 models from the same year are a different colour as well as have different stickers on the inside. I personally also prefer the fuel tanks with the fuel cap on the top side instead of having to remove the tank to fill them. A couple of them I am not going to restore as they are quite well used, but I eventually want to restore the others and get everything working like new. I also am looking to get a 432a from 1982 which is the same size as the 444b.

Unknown date/no date code (was told 1951's) -> 426A
Unknown date/no date code (was told 1960's) -> Sears 476.74980 triple burner
Unknown date/no date code (was told 01/1962) -> 4M
01/1973 -> 444B
01/1984 -> 431
04/1984 -> 431
01/1989 -> 431
06/1999 -> 425
10/2001 -> 425

 

Nice collection and some look pristine. I had quite a few Coleman's once but now down to one. My Quicklight and Coleman #1 at bottom of photo and camping buddy Mac at top. Mike...

 

@Johnathan I don't know what collection I like more, the one on the table or the one behind it
I do have to say that I would like to have one of those older Coleman suitcases someday. Overhere, the oldest you mostly find is the 425...

 

Well, I have three different collections behind the table..... I have a huge Zootopia collection, I've got around 500 DVD/Blu-Ray's, and I did have a decent collection of video games, but have sold off quite a bit of it as I wasn't really playing them!